Design and validation of a quality of life questionnaire for patients with obesity

Abstract

Background: Obesity has always been considered as a major health problem but most studies survey the comorbidities of obesity on patients and due to the influence of culture and ethnicity factors on quality of life, other studies cannot be used for our society. The aim of this study was designing a questionnaire to evaluate quality of life among patients with obesity according to cultural and ethnicity factors. Methods: Cases were asked to fill open-ended questions about quality of life affected by obesity and initial closed questionennaire containing 58 questions was designed and 36 patients were asked to fill it. The results were analyzed and the content validity and relevance were determined. The initial questionnaire was modified and the questionnaire with 54 questions completed by 114 cases and its validity and reliability were evaluated. We used descriptive statistical methods, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, correlation analysis and modeling of 6-factors questionnaire in this article. Findings: For the initial 58-questions questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha was 0.870, which indicated the proper validation and according to it, the 54-questions questionnaire was designed. Sampling sufficiency test and Bartlett's test showed the adequacy of sample size and factor analysis used to identify the structure factor model, respectively. The final questionnaire had a reliability coefficient of 0.913 according to Cronbach's alpha. Conclusion: Thist study, by designing a quality of life questionnaire for patients with obesity via reviewing and approving the six-factor model, provides an instrument for evaluating quality of life and functional status among these patients based on ethnicity and cultural factors. © 2017, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.